China has a huge impending energy problem.? While the US is by far the leader in GHG emissions worldwide, China – with its high growth and booming population – is quickly becoming the elephant in the room during discussions on global energy policy.? Issues of rising demand and environmentally-damaging energy sources are not merely confined to urban areas as the country’s rural communities often find their production capabilities outstripping available infrastructure.? This phenomenon forces many families outside of cities to burn inefficient materials such as wood and straw for energy in the absence of alternatives.? Luckily the country’s insatiable energy needs are often matched by its pool of entrepreneurial talent.?

Thanks to innovative thinkers like Hao Zheng Yi, many rural families have access to technology that allows them to cook and heat their homes in a much more efficient manner.? Hao’s company, Yunnan Zhenghong Environmental Protection, manufactures ovens that use a unique system incorporating natural gas technology.? These products produce heat much more efficiently, thus reducing fuel consumption and offering an alternative to traditional sources of energy.? Yunnan Zhenghong provides a service tailored to China’s vast rural population, particularly farmers who comprise a market of 650 million potential consumers.? The ovens also ensure that customers will also reduce their own consumption of the country’s precious natural resources.? Because of its positive environmental and social impact as well as its outstanding technology, Yunnan Zhenghong is this week’s featured Rising Venture.